THE PRESS OF WAYNE COUNTY --- MANY SALUTATORIES AND AS MANY FAREWELLS --- WILMANS, JOE PRIOR, BAUGH, TILDEN, SIBLEY, SCHELL, SMITH, WALDEN, STICKNEY, LITZENBERGER, BARKLEY, McCLUNG, TRACY, HOLMES --- SOME ACCOUNT OF THE MANY PAPERS THAT STARTED AND PERISHED, ETC., ETC., ETC.
AT the first view one would think the story of the printing press in a county would be an easy one to compile, from the fact that each paper is its own printed record, and all the writer would have to do would be to run over the old files, and there gather exact and full dates and records. But these files can never be found. Like many other things, when they were made the people could not imagine that they could ever become of any value, and hence their existence was short. Then, when the first newspaper in a county were started, it generally took only about three months to starve out the printer-editor, when the office would be closed, and sometimes no files would be kept, and then others who had kept files would carry them away when they left. Thus the average experience of nearly every county is that no early files of the local papers can now be found, and hence no very accurate history of the first newspaper men of any county can now be given. It is only in the time when the county improves and the patronage of the paper extends and begins to pay at least a scant living to the printer that it assumes the form of a permanent institution, and then men come into possession of the office who are careful to preserve their issues, and who realize that as these grow in age so will they grow in value.
We incline to the opinion that the first adventurous spirit to come here and start a paper was Augustus A. Stickney, a native of St. Clair County, in this State, where the family were early settlers and prominent people. They were related to the Omelveny family. A. A. Stickney went to Jefferson County in 1852, and formed a partnership with John S. Bogan, now Circuit "Clerk of the county, and perhaps the veteran newspaper man in Southern Illinois. He learned type setting in the Congressional Globe office, Washington, and followed his trade there until 1840, when he was induced by Gov. Casey to come to Illinois. Of Stickney Mr. Bogan gives us this account. He was a man of brains and vim, but not much physical strength. He worked the old Ramage press in Mt. Vernon, which required tremendous power to pull its four impressions to every paper, and used inked balls instead of rollers, which was too much for Stickney and caused him to commence spitting blood. He retired in a short time and came to Fairfield, and started in June, 1852, the Independent Press, in Fairfield, a six-column paper. John M. Walden became editor for Stickney, the publisher. They had anything but a paying success, yet as they did almost the entire labor themselves, and could get some little credit on the paper and ink used, they struggled along and kept the paper alive, probably waiting in great patience for some ambitious man to come along and be willing to buy out the establishment and pay the bills for the pleasure of seeing in print his inward-surging great thoughts that were to turn the world upside down and spill out all this outrageous ignorance of men. In 1855, C. T. Lichtenberger bought out Stickney and Walden, and Stickney went South, and from thence to San Francisco where he commenced publishing the Alaska Herald, and for ought we know he is still publishing his icy organ, and pouring ice cannon-balls, "blizzards," and other iced condiments into the sacri-religious Bible revisors for extirpating from the language the genial glow of the lake of fire and brimstone.
Walden is now the senior member of the firm of Walden & Stow, of Cincinnati, agents of the M. E. book concern.
Lichtenberger soon tired of the name of Independent Press and at a serious outlay for streaked job type, changed it to the Illinois Patriot. The Press had been democratic, and, of course, the Patriot was only more so, only it was solicitous upon the subject of the genuineness of its patriotism. We were enabled to find a few stray copies of this paper, that are now in the possesion of D. W. Barkley, the latest date being September 17, 1856.
There is a tradition, but not sufficiently confirmed, that Lichtenberger first changed his paper’s name to Pioneer and then Patriot. If this should prove to be true, it only is an additional evidence that the poor fellow was always beset by the great question of how to keep his paper from starving to death, and perhaps the gallant commander going down with his flag ship. At all events, in the latter part of 1855 or the early part of 1856, he put away the Patriot’s little slippers and went to Chicago, induced, no doubt, by the more alluring and lucrative business "blowing up" water lots and assisting the denizens in putting up ten-story buildings, with a mortgage on each floor. In the excitement we enjoyed in following the patriotic changes in names, we forgot to mention that Lichtenberger was a doctor, and while he poured drastic Democratic editorials into a deluded world, he also compounded pills and potations for the sick and afflicted, and that now he is engaged in the practice in Cook County, near Chicago.
Rev. J. M. Walden was strongly anti-slavery in sentiment, and in politics he was a Republican before the party came into existence.
J. D. Lichtenberger was here among the earliest of the printers and publishers. He died three years ago in the Government Hospital in New Orleans.
The Fairfield Weekly News, James H. Smith, editor and proprietor, was started in 1856. It was strictly neutral in politics; was a four-column folio, and the columns being long, gave the paper about as slim-waisted an appearance as Sara Bernhardt. Volume I, No. 1,of this paper has a long and high-sounding salutatory, and promised a great deal, and, as usual, we presume, found the pay too small to encourage such mighty efforts. In 1857, Smith enlarged the News to a six-column paper and otherwise made many improvements in the general make-up and its contents.
June 22, 1858, appeared the first number of the Fairfield Gazette, Alfred S. Tilden, proprietor. In his bow to the patrons he said, "I came to Wayne County to purchase the printing press here which has been lying idle for nearly two years." And he announced that his politics were "like those propagated by every lover of State Sovereignty and Popular Rights."
In a copy of the Press of 1854, are the advertisements of the I. O. O. F.’s, Dr. J. M. Whitlock, N. G., and J. W. Barnhill, R. S.; then Charles Wood, Drainage Commissioner, has a card; Joseph G. Barkley, Circuit Clerk, gives a notice, and John Trousdale, County Clerk, a swamp land notice; the Mt. Carmel Academy, H. C. Wood, Principal, also. John Moreland advertises for poultry and eggs for his store. Henry R. Neff, administrator of the estate of Ephraim Haywood, has a notice. D. Bear advertises his store. William Powless, administrator of Dagg’s estate has a notice. T. T. & E. Bonham say "Clear the track for the wheelbarrow express." Jeremiah Hargrave, administator of John Kirkpatrick’s estate, gives notice. Dr. J. D. Cape, of the Fairfield drug store, has a say. B. Bailey, of Jeffersonville, advertises his store. Dr. J. W. Whitlock’s card as physician appears. He removed to New Mexico, and in 1861, he was most brutally shot down and murdered in the streets of Las Vegas by a company of soldiers. He had been drawn into a discussion with an officer, and hot words and a blow had passed, but they were separated by friends and no injury inflicted, when the officer left to arm himself, and Whitlock had started for his office for the same purpose it is supposed, in order to defend himself from the threatened attack, and just as he was about to enter his office he was attacked by over a hundred armed men, who beat him down with their guns and then riddled his body with bullets---one of the many disgraceful, cowardly and brutal murders that marked too frequently that era of crime and lawlessnes.
Next in order appears the card of Dr. J. J. R. Turney and Dr. S. W. Thompson, and as attorneys, E. Beecher, L. J. S. Turney and John Trousdale. E. S. Ayles advertises a new tin-shop. In the candidates’ column appears S. S. Marshall, for Congress, and L. J. S. Turney, as an Independent Constitutional candidate for Congress. Austin Organ, Alexander Campbell and William Beeson for Sheriff, and C. C. Hopkins and J. W. Wheelock, for Representatives.
February 22, 1859, was issued the first number of the Prairie Pioneer, by William Loyd Carter, and November 10, 1860, Carter retired from the paper with a valedictory of over a column, in which he says he has "stood at the helm through nearly two years of the storms of adversity," and he was evidently tired and wanted to quit with a big Q.
His successor was B. T. Atherton, who overhauled the paper generally, and proclaimed that he would make it strictly neutral in politics.
In March, 1859, Miles B. Friend entered into partnership with Carter in the publication of the Prairie Pioneer. He opens out with a lengthy salutatory, in which he says, in "assuming the editorship and management of the Pioneer," etc., that he will enforce his new departure and go upon the cash plan exclusively, and he says: "There will be no further prodigal display of talents in the papers without the cash on the counter." Mr. Friend is still living and is publishing a paper in McLeansboro. He propably never in all his life since he came to Fairfield has written such a long bow to the public as he did here. It must have been too long, because we find in March 15, 1859, he publishes the following, his "Obquitatory," as he facetiously calls it, and retires leaving the paper in Carter’s hands: "Under financial stress I have quit." This is followed by an article form Carter’s pen, from which we take the following: "About the only good county paper ever published in the county was the Wayne County Herald, by Stickney, the Independent Press, by F. C. Manley, and the Illinois Patriot, by C. T. Lichtenberger, the immediate successors of the Patriot, each of which, after a short struggle for public favor, failed. * * Probably no paper in Southern Illinois, established no greater length of time, has passed through so many different hands, or changed proprietors so often."
October 20, 1859, Carter left the editorial chair, and was succeeded by J. D. Lichtenberger, son T. C. Lichtenberger. In his farewell, Carter thus refers to his successor: "For us to attempt to say anything in his extolation, would be simply superfluous." March 15, 1860, Theo Edmondson became the publisher, and W. L. Carter was again editor. Edmondson retired in August following, and Benson T. Atherton, from Wabash County, became publisher. October 12, 1862, the Prairie Pioneer suspended publication, to be revived by J. D. Lichtenberger, who had reduced it to a four column concern, and then again Atherton tried to make it live and grow, but it continued to grow smaller and smaller, and in September, 1863, it breathed its last.
We should have stated in the proper place above, that in 1858, Joe M. Pryor came to Fairfield and as printer, publisher and editor took charge of the Pioneer. He retired February 2, 1859, and says: "Good Bye!" He then confesses he was too much of a "niggerite" to publish a paper in Fairfield, and then he throws up his head and "gives one long, loud, terrific yell for W. H. Seward and Abe Lincoln, our next President and Vice President." He then repels with scorn the slanders that some of the "Fairfield popenjays" had started on him, namely, that he was an "abolitionist."
Poor Joe, witty, jolly, vigorous and whole-souled, a man of much natural newspaper ability, and at times a very pungent paragraphist, yet eratic and restless. He floated about the country until 1862, when he died, having in life been appreciated for his full worth by few of the many who knew him or were associated with him.
We have spoken of Alfred S. Tilden. He wound up his career in Fairfield, and became what nature intended him for, a roving tramp printer, smart, and wholly reckless and dissipated, and thus soon wound up a short and reckless life.
In the Fairfield Gazette of July 1, 1858, we find the following: "The tri-weekly stage line from Mt. Vernon, Ind., to Xenia and return, goes into operation this afternoon. The establishment of this route gives us mail connection with the O. & M. Railroad every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and will expedite all our business transactions. The heart of Wayne County is now open for traverse by her business men and the traveler, and we look from this time forward for a steady improvement."
March 22, 1860, the Pioneer had a stunning editorial article, vindicating Hon. John A. Logan from the vile aspersions of the Abolitionists. It said he was "the eagle-eyed orator of Egypt, and ably repels the vile epithet of ‘Dirty-work Logan,’" and proclaims that "this virtuous statesman is in favor of carrying out the laws," especially the "fugitive slave law."
In this same paper appears the law card of D. T. Linegar, and the same year it announces that he is the "loyal" candidate for Congress against John A. Logan, the Democratic nominee. It is said that politics make strange bedfellows. There are yet voters living who well remember this great one-sided Congressional race. Linegar was an out-and-out Republican. Logan was a better Democrat than Douglas "or any other yallerhammer," in the language of the Buchanan-Danites of the country. Dave challenged John for a joint discussion. He had neither money nor friends, but he could annoy the great "eagle-eyed orator" immensely. In fact, some irreligious Republicans said that the only two times they met, that Dave knifed him from the word "go;" and now comes the curious fact, that Dave’s logic drove Logan into "loyalty" and himself into being, of all in the "traitor’s camp," the one altogether lovely. Linegar is well remembered by all the leading early Republicans of Wayne County. Linegar left the county on receiving the appointment from Lincoln of Postmaster in Cairo, where he has lived ever since, and, except that his character was stained by being indicted with Dan Munn as one of the notable whisky thieves, he has pursued his profession successfully, and now for the past four years he has been regarded as one of the ablest Representatives in the Illinois legislature. A man of strong mind, resplendent genius and incorruptible politics.
In 1862 Dr. Sibley purchased James D. Lichtenberger’s paper, and run it on the red-hot loyal platform. He soon associated with himself R. B. Schell, and off and on continued the paper until 1868. The Democrat, in the meantime had been brought here by Joe V. Baugh, and the excitement ran high, and the paper pellets of the brain at times fairly made it lightning all around the sky. The Democrat was published in the bar-room of a hotel, where Scott’s store now is, but when it passed into Joe Baugh’s possession he moved it to the Sailer property.
In 1864, about all the many paper ventures had ceased to vex the gentle air of heaven about Fairfield, except the War Democrat, by Sibley; when he finally caught the war fever and sold to D. W. Barkley, the present proprietor of the Wayne County Press, noted for its public spirit, liberality and enterprise, which under Mr. Barkley’s able management have long made it conspicuous among the Republican journals of Southern Illinois. The War Democrat in D. W. Barkley’s hands started in life neutral in politics. For some time his partner was M. G. Revill, who retired and went to Salem, Ill., and started a paper, and afterward merchandising, which he continued until a few years ago, when he died.
In 1865, C. Sibley announced his farewell, and was succeeded by D. W. Barkley, who, in his announcement, says: "This is my first attempt to serve the people in the capacity of an editor, and in January, 1866, he took Revill into partnership, who says in his "announcement" that he had been formerly connected with the Union Banner of Carlyle, and he very pointedly asserts that this fact "warrants us in the assertion of our competency for our present position." The title of the paper was changed to its present name, the Democrat, and afterward the Press, was in the new management for a while neutral in politics. After Revill retired Barkley associated with himself his brother, O. F. Barkley, and for some time the two published the paper. Then D. W. purchased his brother’s interest, and he is now and has since been an employe in the office.
The War Democrat had been started by C. J. Wilmans January 14, 1804. He had purchased the old Pioneer office. In February, 1864, Wilmans associated C. W. Sibley in the publication.
Under this new arrangement, the paper threw off all disguises about being democratic, and fairly "went in Dugan" in the way of peppery articles about traitors, rebels and copperheads. It struck from the shoulder, and denounced treason without mercy, and flambagantly took its place in the ranks where "John Brown’s soul is still marching on." Particularly was this so after Wilman’s early retirement, and when Sibley was left alone in his glory. In August, 1864, C. J. Wilmans returned as Sibley’s associate, and it was agreed that this arrangement should continue for one year. January 12, 1865, the paper was reduced in size to a half sheet, and in February, Wilmans again retired, and C. Sibley, the father of C. W. Sibley ran it awhile and sold to D. W. Barkley, as stated above.
Barkley started his paper on the neutral side, and so published it for awhile, and then it was made a strong Republican organ, especially in 1868. But then it left the Republican party and was a "Granger," and battled with the "broad horns" manfully until 1876, when it was again in its old place with its party and where it has apparently settled to stay.
In 1878, the Republican was started by Robinson. It was an out-and-outer radical paper, and it made so much noise in the Wayne County political world, that Barkley finally bought it out and swallowed it up in his Press office.
In 1868, George W. Bates started the Fairfield Democrat. He got the paper occasionally, and he got "off his base" with wonderful regularity. A presidential election was on hand, and the leading Democrats induced John Moffitt, who was then in the Clerk’s office, to take the paper and "save the country." John says he had never been in a printing office but once in his life before he was installed as "Editor in Chief." He wrote his editorials---started up, as it were, his screaming political eagles---launched his thunderbolts, to put it mildly, at the heads of his devoted country, and with bated breath awaited the result. He says his amazement, after the issue of his first paper, at seeing the world move on in its regular orbit, may be imagined, not described. He was dumbfounded---paralyzed, so to speak---and in a dazed kind of way looked around him. He picked his flint and tried it again the next week---a little stronger, if possible—and yet the sun, moon and stars bowled along in their usual way---the earth even did not fly off its handle and go spinning recklessly around, and bobbing against stray comets and things generally. Queen Victoria did not resign and become a dairy maid, and Bismark took his "swei glass" regularly and without choking, and even Eli Perkins continued to peddle his lies to literary and religious clubs, at $35 a night, and John was editorially demoralized slightly. At all events, in a couple of months the election was over, and Moffitt retired with a sarcastic farewell from the newspaper world.
Joseph Carter and Will Goudy started the Register September 1, 1880, a democratic, folio paper, of some ability and sprightliness, which they ran for about three months, and sold to McClung, of the Record. Goudy is now a postal route agent, and has quit his trade of printer.
The Fairfield Weekly Democrat, an eight-column folio, Democratic paper, was started by Bates & Holmes, July 3, 1868. The office had been purchased by R. F. Brown and shipped here, and , as Brown abandoned the enterprise before it was fairly launched, it was run awhile by Moffitt, and then by C. J. Wilmans, and Stanley, and Schell, and Friend, and then Baugh. In 1871 and 1872, C. E. Sibley and R. B. Schell were proprietors. In 1875, Brown, who was a noted newspaper starter, again was in possession, and he sold about this time to Oliver Holmes. Then Sibley ran it awhile for Joe Crews, and for these years it was run by Wilmans, who owned it twice and was in and out a number of times; by Baugh twice, Brown twice, and finally Wilmans sold to Ed McClung, the present proprietor. McClung entered the office in 1876 as an humble boy apprentice, under Stanley & Schell. While he was in the office, it was sold under mortgage, and Wilmans was the purchaser. McClung then became foreman, and so continued until he purchased the office three years ago. Wilmans and Joe Prior were the two most remarkable men developed among the early scribes of Fairfield. When Wilmans sold out, he went to Texas, and for some time was connected with different papers in that State. He is now a resident of St. Louis, and, we understand, is temporarily out of the newspaper business. His talents as a writer were above the average.
In looking over our notes of the innumerable changes of ownership of the Democrat, we learn that R. D. Adams, and James McCartney were at one time the owners, and they leased it to E. B. Renard, of the Olney Times, who tried the experiment of running the two papers. He soon got enough of it, and the concern reverted again to Wilmans.
As stated elsewhere, McClung purchased the Register in December, 1879, and at once changed the name to the present Record. Wilmans was in 1881, still running the Democrat, and McClung purchased it at that time and consolidated it with the Record. In the early part of 1883, he added a new Campbell power-press, and new type and material, and commenced the publication of a first-class country paper. In the fall of 1883, he changed the paper from an eight-column folio to a six-column quarto, and again made great improvement in a paper that already deservedly ranked well.
The two men now conducting the Fairfield papers are admirably fitted to supply the wants of the people of the county in their line, as well as a further illustration of the law of the "survival of the fittest," as the record we have given above shows that all of the many rivals have passed away, and mostly have been transferred to the Record or Press, and in each instance going to the one they were struggling to supplant or rival.
Papers in Jeffersonville.---In April, 1872, George P. Slade removed the Christian Instructor from McLeansboro to Jeffersonville. This was an eight-column paper, devoted to the cause of the Christian Church---Slade, editor, and C. E. Wolfe, publisher. It dealt in church dogmas and launched thunderbolts at all who differed from its church tenets. It commenced in April and died from exhaustion in December following.
Then Wolfe and R. A. Moss started from this office the Wayne County Central, a political paper of the Republican persuasion. It was an eight-column folio, and about every issue it would politically "WHEREAS, the earth and all offices therein contained belong to the political saints, and, therefore, Resolved, that we are the political saints." And thus it fought out the great battles of the country after the cruel war was over. The paper was continued under this arrangement until 1873, when Moss retired and J. M. Tracy took his place, who, after six months, took the office to Fairfield, and in a short time Israel & Wolfe sold it to Prof. W. S. Scott, now of White County.
The second paper started at Jeffersonville was by Wall & Tracey---the Evangelist at Work. This was in pamphlet form, and was thus run for one year, when it was changed to a four-column folio. This was another church organ, and after a year of varied fortunes the office was closed. The old press and types of this office are still in Jeffersonville and belong to Tracy & Wolf.
The third and only other paper started in this place was a Sunday
school organ, in pamphlet form, sixteen pages, by E. J. Hart,
editor and Tracy, publisher. It died when only eight months old.
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